NOTE: This is one of the replies I got on the "Sinless" topic that
contains such a gem of an insight that I had to publish it. All of
this is so much simpler than people think. Take a look below:
"SINLESS" - an INCIDENT that I EXPERIENCED
-by Rita.
Your recent topic of 'sinless' reminded me of something that the
Holy Spirit showed me.
I was fasting for three days and half way through the fast I was in
the Christian School photocopying. One of the teachers came into
the office and gave me a piece of birthday cake and a cup of coffee,
explaining that it was one of the pupil's birthday and they had
decided to cut the cake mid-morning and celebrate. Without a
thought I ate the cake and upon swallowing the last mouthful I was
overcome. I suddenly realised I was fasting! Not only was I fasting,
I was exactly half way through a three day fast. I said to the Lord,
"No! I am so sorry. I am half way through the fast you told me to
do. What shall I do? -Start from here for another three days, or
shall I stop and start again tommorrow?" I was so upset. And the
Lord answered and said to me, "I did not see it." I said, "What do
you mean?" At first I thought he was being kind. But He said, "I
did not see. Your intention had not been to do this and your heart
is innocent before me." I was amazed by this.
It took a few days to realise that the Lord truly meant I was without
sin. It was not that I had sinned and repented - it was that I was
following God and communing with him - an error did not count. I
was set free and the lesson I learnt was about being sinless and
the freedom and joy that brought me. I realised that my body had
sinned almost by automation, but I had not sinned. I had not
deliberately rebelled against God and my intention was not to
destroy. I know that lesson was the purpose of the fast.
ANDREW STROM AGAIN: This is one of the most vital secrets
to walking "sinless" before the Lord. -It is pure "Romans 7". Rita
says (above), "I realised that my body had sinned almost by
automation, but I had not sinned. I had not deliberately rebelled
against God." In other words, her heart and her "inner man" were
still walking in 'innocence' before the Lord - because there was
no DELIBERATE or "KNOWING" sin. And God actually said to
her, "I did not see it." So during this whole process of committing
'outward' error and stumbling, her heart remained pure before the
Lord. Therefore from God's viewpoint, she had DONE NOTHING
WRONG - and was still walking in "heart-purity" before Him.
Do you realize what incredible liberty and freedom is in this
one principle, my friends? We can walk FREE FROM SIN! We
can walk "clean" before God! It is the "inner man" that we need
to keep clean.
Does this mean that we are allowed to just go and sin 'outwardly'
then? No - not at all. Then we would be "KNOWINGLY" sinning.
The whole point of this is that we do not DELIBERATELY or
KNOWINGLY sin. Therefore we remain pure of heart. It becomes
our 'natural' state of being. -To walk this way.
Note that we must have gone through 'DEEP REPENTANCE'
and have an inbuilt "HATRED OF SIN" to even start to walk in
this. Otherwise it simply will not work. We also (of course) need
the Holy Spirit!
What freedom - what liberty - if we can simply walk before God
in the "inner man" with no known sin. That's what this is all about!
It is the free gift of God in Christ Jesus. Thankyou, Father!
God bless you all.
Andrew Strom.